A dramatic last-gasp leveller by Reo Hatate earned Celtic a shocking 2-2 comeback draw towards Rangers at Ibrox however Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts emerged the winners on the day.
Hoops boss Martin O’Neill had little initially to have fun on his 74th birthday as Gers striker Youssef Chermiti opened the scoring within the eighth minute with a shocking overhead kick then flicked in a second within the twenty sixth minute.
The guests stormed again after the break and left-back Kieran Tierney lowered the deficit within the 56th minute.
Rangers had been hanging on desperately till VAR intervened – with a few minutes remaining – and a penalty was awarded to the Hoops for a Dujon Sterling handball.
Jack Butland saved Hatate’s spot-kick and his effort from the rebound, however the Hoops substitute scored on the third try.
With 9 fixtures remaining, Danny Rohl’s aspect are six factors behind leaders Hearts and two forward of Celtic who’ve a recreation in hand excessive two.
Rohl went with the identical group that began the latest win over Hearts, with Chermiti and Ryan Naderi main the road, and right-back Dujon Sterling in for captain James Tavernier.
Celtic had exited the Europa League play-offs on Thursday evening on a 4-2 mixture defeat following a 1-0 win over Stuttgart.
Finland goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo stored his place in purpose amid 5 modifications, with no signal of primary Kasper Schmeichel, who was in poor health.
With Auston Trusty suspended, Dane Murray partnered the returning Liam Scales within the Hoops defence which was breached by Chermiti in outrageous style.
The Portuguese ahead leapt excessive into the air 10 yards from purpose to execute an ideal overhead kick from Andreas Skov Olsen’s cross from the suitable, giving Sinisalo no probability.
The dwelling aspect, with proficient teenage attacker Mikey Moore within the temper, remained on prime however the early frenetic tempo subsided slowly, Celtic edging ahead sometimes.
However, a horror mistake by Murray – when he sliced an tried clearance backwards – allowed the ball via within the field though right-back Julián Araujo appeared to have it below management, however Chermiti nicked it off him after which slotted previous Sinisalo.
The disjointed Parkhead aspect had been in disarray as Rangers went for a 3rd, defender Emmanuel Fernandez heading a free-kick simply previous the submit.
Celtic changed Junior Adamu and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with Hatate and Sebastian Tounekti for the beginning of the second half, in an try and claw their method again into the sport they usually did precisely that and extra.
Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland saved a long-distance effort from Hatate for a nook, which was initially defended however the guests stored up the stress till Tierney headed in a cross from Benjamin Nygren.
Hoops attacker Daizen Maeda and Hatate had efforts on purpose and a flowing transfer ended with Butland pulling off an excellent save from substitute Luke McCowan, earlier than Murray headed over the crossbar.
However, the title race swung once more when there was a VAR test for a Celtic penalty within the 87th minute for a handball towards Sterling contained in the field.
Referee John Beaton went to his pitch-side monitor and pointed to the spot and regardless of Butland’s finest efforts, Hatate finally bundled the ball into the web for a deserved share of the spoils which might have been celebrated at Tynecastle.
